FAQs

Why don’t we have drop-ins?
1. Our Club offers the opportunity to learn basic line dance movements and progressively add new challenges and skills as dancers gain experience
2. By participating in a session, you are connecting with the dances and the dancers. The energy that comes from learning a repertoire with a community of dance friends is the essence of our mission “to share the joy of line dance in the Bow Valley”
3. We are a non-profit Club with expenses that include room rental costs, liability insurance, guest instructor fees, so we need to have a commitment.

Why do we have classes on Fridays?
– Our instructor from Calgary is available on Fridays.
– Due to the limited dance venues in Canmore, we were only able to get space on Fridays when we started the Club. We are gradually finding other time slots, but now our dancers are so used to the Fridays that those are the classes in highest demand.

Should I move up to the next level?
Look under our ‘Registration’ main menu tab.

May I join Levels 1.5, 2 or 3 if I am new to BVLD, but I have experience dancing elsewhere?
– We encourage everyone to begin with Level 1 to learn foundation line dance steps, and to learn the Level I repertoire that we frequently dance at events in the Bow Valley.
– Dancers who have previous dance experience will progress very quickly to the next level.
– Experienced dancers who choose to learn the Level 1 repertoire on their own and demonstrate their mastery of those dances, may be admitted to Level 1.5. Contact bvlinedance@shaw.ca for details.

How do we choose our dances?
Deb and Faye and Mary collectively select dances that:
– introduce foundation line dance movements, and progressively add as dancers gain experience
– allow our repertoire to include a variety of music and rhythm
– are popular at events in Calgary and beyond
– are generally versatile to adapt to additional music selections
– are choreographed to suit most sizes, ages, and genders
– Occasionally we veto dances due to lyrics that may be considered offensive.

Are there some strategies for learning from a video?
1. Look at all of the tutorials to see which one has a teaching style that suits you.
2. Note the room orientation used by the tutorial. Tutorials oriented on a diagonal may confuse some.
3. Learn one section at a time (just like we do in class)
4. Walk through each section a few times with the step names (just like we do in class)
5. Then walk through the dance with the counts
6. Use the step-sheet to assist you.
7. Before dancing through a song with a tutorial, set your computer up in one place, and compare the orientation of your room to the orientation of the tutorial. (Most dancers find it difficult to learn by holding the computer while making the turns.)

What kind of shoes are best for line dancing?
Safety is always a concern, so please do not wear:
– light hikers or thick rubber-soled shoes that will not permit turns
– open-backed shoes of any kind.
– high-heeled shoes
Ideally, we suggest smooth but not slippery-leather soled shoes, or dance shoes.